


Smashed Pumpkins

by MamaJefe



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pumpkins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:14:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25907920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaJefe/pseuds/MamaJefe
Summary: Tora and Poppy head out to Moonbright to hunt down a pumpkin. Shenanigans ensue. Cuteness abounds.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 49
Kudos: 160





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All characters and such belong to lilydusk. Please feel free to comment on any constructive criticism. I was listening to 'My Girls Ex-Boyfriend" by Relient K when I came up with this idea.

It had been three months since Tora and Poppy had parted ways. They lasted about a week. Well, if he was being honest, Tora only lasted two days. He had just wanted to drive by and make sure she was okay and that Gyu was doing his job, at least that’s what he told himself. But they didn’t actually reunite until Quincey stuck his nose in Toras business. He didn’t like being away from her and she didn’t like being away from him so to hell with it. She was going to be in his life whether he had tried to keep her out of it or not. And that was how he found himself on a train, going through the hills outside Narin City towards Moonbright.

Tora didn’t like trains. He didn’t like any vehicle he wasn’t driving and he didn’t like being stuck in a tube full of strangers with nowhere to go. It also brought back not so nice memories of the first time he and Poppy met. But he wasn’t going to think about that. If Poppy wasn’t bringing it up there was no point in stewing about it. Hell, he hadn’t even meant to agree to this. Poppy had dragged him to the local farmers market to pick up a pumpkin to carve. He had been so busy surveying the crowd and mapping exit routes in his head he hadn’t heard her say that none of the pumpkins were good enough and they would have to go to the patch in Moonbright. He had just nodded his head and said. “Whatever ya want sweetheart.” before he knew it here he was. On a train. With his effin hamster.

…

Poppy loved the fall. The cool air, the leaves, the holidays, the clothes, she loved it all. It was the only time she enjoyed the train ride from Narin city to Moonbright too. The hills were covered in trees that looked like fire in the fall. All oranges, yellows, and reds. And the summer mists had gone away so you could the rolling hills and valleys. She still couldn’t believe that she had convinced Tora to come with her.

Although she couldn’t tell if he was regretting it or not. He was awful fidgety in his seat next to her. She slipped her fingers in between his and whispered, “Are you okay?”

He nodded tensely and scanned over the train car again. She thought he mumbled something about hating trains.

If you don’t like trains why didn’t you say something? We could have driven!”

He looked at her and softened a little bit, dropping a kiss into her hair, before saying, “ya were so excited about it, I didn’t want to ruin it for ya.”

Poppy about melted in her seat. “ Tora, you couldn’t ruin this for me if you tried. I’m just happy you were willing to come.”

“Well, ya did promise I could get one to chuck off your balcony. Haven’t done that since I was an effin kid.” The most mischievous smirk Poppy had ever seen flashed across his face.

“Just remember you’ve got to clean it up too,” she glanced at the display board at the front of the train. ‘your torture is almost over, we’ll be there in a couple of minutes.” she gave his fingers a quick squeeze, bounced up to kiss his cheek and looked back out the window.

…

The pumpkin patch in Moonbright was the last place Julri thought he would see Poppy again. This was not how he had planned things to go at all. He was going to give her a couple of months to cool off, then they would get back together and everything would be just like it was. Sure he’d been dating in the meantime, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. But hell, he was on a date here tonight. That was the last thing he wanted her to see. At least she hadn’t noticed him. And she seemed to be alone. He’d just keep an eye on her and hopefully, she wouldn’t notice him. He just needed to make sure his date didn’t notice. Which shouldn’t be too hard they were already waiting in line for the hayrides. He went to steal one last glance at poppy and his stomach almost fell out of his body. An absolute goliath covered in tattoos was standing next to poppy now. And she was saying something to it and bouncing up and down like she did whenever she got excited about something. He didn’t get the chance to see what happened next, because his date was tugging on his sleeve and pulling him up onto the hay-filled trailer.

…

Poppy was waiting outside for Tora. He’d run into the little country store attached to the patch to use the ATM. she was just so excited! It was fall, and she hadn’t been to this patch I years. She was looking forward to sharing it with Tora. this was one of the few places shed never brought a boyfriend to. She had such good memories here with her family she’d never wanted to taint them, but something felt very right about bringing Tora here. But in the back of her mind, there was something a little unsettling. Poppy couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching. She looked around and didn’t notice anything odd, Tora had been drilling her. _ He’s just be rubbing off on me  _ she thought _.  _ Speaking of Tora he was walking out of the store just now. He looked surprisingly at ease, given his reaction to the train. She met him halfway, bouncing a little in her excitement. 

“They keep the really big ones at the back of the patch, let’s go!”

“Okay, Okay, Bobby! Don’t rip my arm off!” Tora chuckled a smirk cracking across his face. But he still let her pull him down the path with only a little joking resistance. “How’d ya know about this place? It’s kind of far from granny’s place.”

“Dad used to bring me here every year. He never cared much for carving the pumpkin but he loved the roast the seeds. After he died, Granny couldn’t bring herself to come anymore. This is only the second time I’ve been back.”

“Damn Bobby, ya sure you want to be here?”

“Yup. sure it makes me a little sad but I’ve got so many more good memories here. And who knows maybe we’ll make some new ones too” she said smiling. 

…

“Starting right now” 

Tora barely had time to register her mischievous smile before Poppy had run around him and jumped up onto his back. Her arms wrapped loosely around his neck and her voice shouting “onward!” in his ear. A loud laugh escaped him before he could stop it. And he didn’t even notice the weird looks they were getting. They were certainly a mismatched couple and usually, the looks bothered him, but he was having to much fun to really care today. He tromped towards the back of the patch while Poppy peppered his ears and the back of his neck with kisses. 

He set her down once they reached the prize-winning pumpkin. It was almost the size of his car, he was almost impressed. Ahead of them was a sea of orange. All of these pumpkins were much larger than the ones in the first half of the patch. The sun was just starting to set. There was plenty of light left in the day but the sky was turning shades of red, pink, and purple. Next to him, Poppy shivered. He pulled the flannel he was wearing off and wrapped it around her shoulders before threading his arm around her waist and drawing her into his side. He was still amazed at how perfectly she fit next to him. He was all angles and she was all curves but she fit like a puzzle piece.

They looked around for about twenty minutes before he found it. It was the lumpiest, wartiest, most mottled pumpkin he could find. “I want that one,” he said pointing it out to Poppy.

She crinkled her nose. “Whatever you want Tora, you could probably leave it for now while we pick another one. I doubt anyone else is going to be picking that one anytime soon.” she giggled.

“It won’t matter what it looks like when it’s all smashed up, sweetheart,” he said before leaning down to steal a quick kiss.

…

Julri caught sight of them through the trees about halfway through the hayride. Poppy was riding on his back. Maybe they were cousins? Or related somehow? He wouldn’t believe that she could move on so fast. They’d been together for a long time and Poppy never had a lot of confidence. That was why he was able to get away with so much. He lost sight of them for a second. When he caught sight of them again, she was wearing his shirt and he was kissing her. Definitely not cousins. A cold sick feeling settled low in his stomach. She was supposed to be distraught over their break up. How could she move on so fast? His plan was definitely not going to work out and that made him a little angry.


	2. Chapter 2

Poppy made her way farther back into the patch. A hayride group had just gotten off so she had to weave around people. Tora was following behind her surveying the crowd lazily. A couple of yards ahead she saw the perfect one. Large, round, and bright orange. She could imagine a face on it already. There was a couple ahead of them she'd need to get past.

“Excuse me could I just squeeze past you…?” poppy said. The man turned around and the smile wiped from her face faster than Tora had ever seen.

“...Bobby?”

“Oh… Hi, Julri” Poppy deadpanned and Tora felt his anger rising. This was the little punk that hurt his poppy so bad? He was distinctly unimpressive. Average height and build with dull brown hair and a face that didn’t leave much of an impression. Why had Poppy ever been with this fool? She was way out of his league. 

“Hey Popsy, funny seeing you here,” he said with the most crap eating grin on his face. Poppy flinched at the pet name, which had been Julri’s desired effect. Behind Poppy, Tora drew himself up to his full height, rolled his sleeves up, and crossed his arms over his chest. 

Julri’s smirk faltered a little bit. This dude was way bigger up close and he was absolutely covered in tattoos.  _ What kind of crowd is Poppy running with now? This guy looks like a thug.  _ Julri thought quickly, trying to regain control of the situation. If his plan wasn’t going to work out then this guy wasn’t going to either. Time for a low blow.

“How’ve you been Popsy? You were pretty upset last time I saw you.”

“Don’t call me that!” Poppy snapped. She’d always hated that nickname. But Julri never listened, no matter how much she’d told him to stop. “And if you must know, I’ve been really good.” she stepped to the side so Tora could stand next to her. “ This is my boyfriend, Tora.”

Two pale gold eyes were fixing a terrifying glare on him. He squirmed a little involuntarily.

“This pipsqueak botherin ya, sweetheart?” Tora rumbled next to her. Dropping his arms and putting his hand on the small of her back. She was shaking with anger. Tora had never seen her this mad before and he couldn’t help but find it a little attractive.

Toras’s hand on her back was like an anchor. It brought her back down to earth for a minute, allowed her to gather her thoughts. She was about to speak, but Julri beat her to it.

“You know Popsy, I would have never pegged you for a rebellious rebound. Don’t you think you could do a little better than this guy? I mean just look at him. I bet he’s got a rap sheet a mile long. You probably aren’t the only girl he’s seeing too.” Julri was trying his best to come off unaffected by the beast standing next to poppy, but he wasn’t sure he was completely successful. He had completely forgotten about his date, but if he had remembered her he would have seen the distinctly unimpressed look on her face.

Toras hands were balled up into massive fists, and Poppy saw one of them twitching slowly upward. She was certain Tora wouldn't cheat, and she knew Tora knew she knew that. but she could still see the comment eating at him. She turned away from Julri and place a hand on Tora’s cheek, his eyes slowly sliding away from Julri and fixing on Poppy’s deep brown ones. He relaxed his hand slowly. This was her fight, and as much as he wanted to fight every battle for her, she needed to do this by herself. So he slipped his hand into her back pocket and took a deep breath.

Poppy turned back to Julri. “You don’t get to talk about him like that. You don’t know anything about him. Or me for that matter. And you’re the one that cheated on me remember? And it seems like you're not even with her anymore so it must not have worked out so great.” she said with the most unnerving tone he had ever heard. The Poppy he remembered would be tearing up right now. The girl standing next to him looked disgusted. She took a step away from him and fished a set of keys out of her purse.

“Eff this. I’m out. I don’t hold with cheaters. Find your own way home.” She looked apologetically at Poppy. “ if you’ll excuse me.” she said as she slipped past Tora.

If Julri’s mouth could have reached the ground it would have been there. He closed it quickly. That girl had been a long shot but he had been hoping to at least get a little lucky tonight. The Tora guy was smiling at him but it didn’t reach his eyes. Had he gotten bigger since this conversation started? Julri swallowed and prepped his last jibe.

“You can always come back, Poppy. I’ll forgive you for leaving. You don’t need to stay with a thug to make me jealous.”

Poppy gasped and Tora snarled. And then for a second everything slowed down. Out of the corner of his eye, Tora saw Poppy squeeze her eyes shut and her fist started to fly. Did hamsters always close their eyes before they attacked? It didn’t matter, Tora would take advantage. He angled his own fist above Poppy’s. Her punch landed squarely on Julri’s jaw and then a millisecond later Tora’s fist collided with his nose.  _ Damn, that felt good.  _ Julri fell backward, his butt landing in, and smashing a pumpkin. Tora dropped his fist before poppy opened her eyes. She looked up at him shocked. The grin on his face must have surprised her because she let out a half gasp half giggle. She rarely saw that smile and loved it every time she did. After a second she wiped the smile from her face but not her eyes.

Looking forward she stepped over Julris legs like he didn’t exist. She walked a few feet forward and pointed at a pumpkin. “I’d like that one please,” she said ignoring the small crowd of onlookers they’d attracted. Tora stooped to pick up the pumpkin. By the time he stood back up, Poppy was marching back towards the country store at the entrance. Tora paused and crouched down to be sort of eye-level with Julri. Even he couldn’t squat that low. 

“Just so ya know, your mistake. Best thing that ever happened to me… also don’t think about comin round to bug her again. I’m never that far away.” Tora said this in the voice he reserved for marks and scaring the crap out of Quincey. Then he stood up and followed Poppy. And Julri sat there pumpkin soaking into his pants while the older people looked at him disapprovingly and the younger ones snickered at him. He didn’t think he’d ever been this humiliated.


	3. Chapter 3

Tora found Poppy leaning against the outside of the store breathing heavily. As soon as he reached her she started vomiting words. 

“Did that just happen? Did I just punch him? Is my hand supposed to hurt like this? Oh my gosh everybody saw that happen. But oooh the things he said. Are you okay? Those look heavy. Ugh, I just hate him. I didn’t think I hit him that hard, but he went flying. I Love you. Did I do okay? Did I do it ri…”

Tora cut her off by slamming his lips into hers. Partly to stop her talking, partly because her throwing a punch was the hottest thing he’d ever seen, but mostly because she said she loved him. He loved her too, but he was never sure how to tell her or show her. So he poured it all into this kiss. How much he appreciated her acceptance, how much he loved her fiery spirit, and most of all how much he just loved her. He could have kissed her forever but the pumpkins in his arms were getting heavy. He pulled away much sooner than he would have liked. 

Poppy was more than a little dazed. Tora had never kissed her like that before. Hell, she wasn’t sure she’d ever been kissed like that before. He put the pumpkins down on the ground and then put a hand on each side of her face. “Ya did good Pops.” she opened her mouth to speak again but he cut her off. “Let me take a look at ya hand sweetheart.”

He examined her hand with one of his the other behind his back. He flipped her hand over a couple of times. “ your gonna be sore in the morning but ya kept your thumb outta ya fist so nothings broke. Might bruise a little. now let’s go pay for these and get home.”

She bit her lip and nodded, before following him into the store. It was a little barn with little souvenir things by the counter and a refrigerator at the back. Behind the counter, there was every kind of candy imaginable. Poppy meandered through the aisles while Tora approached the counter. “Hey man, the two pumpkins and whatever she decides to get,” he said jerking his head towards poppy while handing the man a couple of large bills.

“Sure thing,” the clerk said. He was a couple of years younger than Tora, maybe fresh out of high school. And then Tora saw them. Security cameras all over the patch screening to a TV behind the counter. He must not have been policing his expression very well because the clerk let out a low chuckle.

“Your girl sure can throw a punch. That might have been the best thing I’ve seen all week. Don’t worry I’m not gonna say anything. In fact, take these as thanks for the entertainment.” he said handing Tora a huge caramel apple, just as Poppy was walking up. She was carrying a gallon of cider and a bottle of strawberry juice. “Oooh Tora I hope your planning on sharing,” she said happily eyeing the apple. 

“Course I am bobby. Ya really think I could eat this much sugar all by myself?”

“Who knows Tora, you never cease to amaze me. Just these two please,” she said turning to the clerk. 

“You’re already covered, big guy here paid for you.”

Poppy turned and swatted at Tora’s arm. “You shouldn’t have! I was going to surprise you,” she said with a fake pout, motioning towards the juice. Before she gathered everything in her arms and started towards the door.

“No ya weren’t. I knew exactly what you were grabbing. Anyways ya deserve a reward for all ya hard work tonight. Come on or we’ll miss our train.”

…

It took Julri ten minutes to pull himself out of that pumpkin. His eyes were swimming and his face was on fire. Slowly he began the long walk back to the road at the front of the patch. Maybe there was a bus stop there or something. As he walked he took stock of his injuries. His tailbone was definitely bruised, and it felt like his front teeth might be a little loose. His nose was probably broken too. It would not stop bleeding no matter how hard he pinched it. The blood was running down his face and onto his shirt. This was his favorite one too.

“DAMN IT!” he yelled into the air. How had everything gone so wrong? And what had happened to the quiet, passive Poppy he had known? How was he ever going to live this down? His date (what was her name? Jesse? Jana? Whatever it didn’t matter) was at the top of Moonbrights social circle. He was never going to get a date again. Everybody would know about this tomorrow. Everyone, all of his friends, would know he’d been punched by a girl. And all the girls would know he was a cheater. He’d told everybody Poppy had cheated on him. 

He’d reached the store by now so lost in his thoughts he hadn’t realized how far he’d walked. He could see poppy and the giant by the store entrance. He was looking at something between them, but Julris’ eyes were quickly drawn elsewhere. Behind that guy’s back was a massive hand… flipping him the bird. How could this get any worse? He was no match for this new guy. Even he had enough self-awareness to realize that. So he just trudged towards the road in hopes of a bus stop. Maybe he could just move away, or change his name, or get hit by the bus? Anything would be better than facing his friends tomorrow.

…

Poppy was watching the stars flash by through the train window. He feet resting on Tora’s butt ugly pumpkin. What a night it had been. And then she realized. She sat up stalk straight. Had she really said…? Did she really mean it? That was a silly question, of course she did. She turned to look at Tora. He was reclined back in his seat, eyes closed, and much more at ease than their first ride. “Tora…?” 

“Yeah?”

“ At the barn did I really… say what I think I said?” she asked nervously.

“Mmhmm.” he hummed back at her. And her face turned beet red. But then her heart fell. He hadn’t said anything back. Did he not feel the same? 

“Tora, I don’t want you to think that you have to say it back if you don’t want to. If you don’t feel that way too.”

Tora opened his eyes and sat up slowly. “ Of course I do Poppy. ‘M not any good with words or feelings. Ya know that Pops. Don’t think for a second I don’t just cause I have trouble putting it into words. ” 

Poppy looked down at her feet blushing. And sat back and closed his eyes again. But a second later he slid one open and looked at Poppy. “What’d ya think I kissed ya like that for anyways…” he teased. Poppy gasped and before he could stop her she’d dug her fingers into his side. A barking laugh escaping him.

It probably made an odd sight. A hamster tickling a tiger on a train. But neither of them cared.

…

As soon as they got into her apartment Tora was on the balcony deciding on a trajectory. And then before she knew it a twenty-pound pumpkin was flying towards the middle of her empty parking lot. And Tora was whooping and hollering as he practically jumped down the stairs to survey the damage. 

Standing in her empty kitchen poppy smiled to herself. Who knew anyone could be this happy. She wouldn’t have believed it before she met Tora. With a sigh, she grabbed her broom and went down the stairs. If she was lucky she’d get to catch a glimpse of the grin Tora was sure to have on his face right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I def pulled some inspo for Tora's behavior from my own husband. I feel like Tora would act like an absolute man child with poppy. Every year my husband buys a pumpkin just so he can swing a sword at it. thanks so much for reading. If you guys have any sort of requests let me know. I'm out of ideas for now but would be happy to try to write something you'd like to see.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear what you guys think of this work and what you think I could do better:) Luvs ya<3


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